Editing Waterford, Maine

{{Short description| Town in the state of Maine, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Waterford, Maine
|settlement_type          = [[New England town|Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

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|image_skyline            = Waterford Maine.jpg
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|image_caption            = View from Blackguard Road
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|pushpin_map              = Maine#USA
|pushpin_label            = Waterford
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<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Maine]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Maine|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Oxford County, Maine|Oxford]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
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|established_title        = [[Incorporation (municipal government)|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = 1797

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name ="Gazetteer files"/>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 137.06
|area_land_km2            = 130.12
|area_water_km2           = 6.94
|area_total_sq_mi         = 52.92
|area_land_sq_mi          = 50.24
|area_water_sq_mi         = 2.68

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
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|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 1570
|population_density_km2   = 12.1
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|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
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|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 204
|elevation_ft             = 669
|coordinates              = {{coord|44|11|27|N|70|42|27|W|region:US-ME|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]s
|postal_code              = 04088 (Waterford)<br/>04267 ([[North Waterford, Maine|North Waterford]])
|area_code                = [[Area code 207|207]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 23-80635
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0582794
|website                  = {{URL|www.waterfordme.org}}
|footnotes                = 
}}
'''Waterford''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Oxford County, Maine|Oxford County]], [[Maine]], United States. Waterford is included in the [[Lewiston-Auburn]], Maine metropolitan New England city and town area. The population was 1,570 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US2301780635|title=Census - Geography Profile: Waterford town, Oxford County, Maine|access-date=January 19, 2022}}</ref> It is a recreation area noted for historic architecture and scenery.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}

==History==
[[Image:Waterford, ME from Table Rock.jpg|thumb|left|Waterford from Table Rock in 1905]]
The township was granted on February 24, 1774, by the [[Massachusetts General Court]] to Captain Andrew Gardner and his company of soldiers for services under [[William Phips|Sir William Phipps]] during the 1690 expedition against [[Battle of Quebec (1690)|Canada]]. It replaced a 1735 grant called Toddstown or Township No. 6 (now [[Henniker, New Hampshire]]), which was ruled invalid when the state line was redrawn between [[Massachusetts]] and [[New Hampshire]] in 1741.<ref name=Coolidge>{{Cite book  | last = Coolidge  | first = Austin J.|author2=John B. Mansfield   | title = A History and Description of New England| publisher = A.J. Coolidge  | year = 1859| location = Boston, Massachusetts| pages = [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ/page/n381 343]–344| url = https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ| quote = coolidge mansfield history description new england 1859.  }}</ref>

The land was surveyed in 1774; in spring of 1775, David McWain of [[Bolton, Massachusetts]] arrived with his dog at a lot he bought for $40. He cleared land and built a [[log cabin]], returning to Bolton for two winters until he settled permanently at Waterford in spring of 1777. McWain preferred solitude, and was deeply annoyed when he first saw smoke rising about {{convert|12|mi|km}} away at [[Paris, Maine|Paris Hill]]. "Humph," he said, "I would like to know who is settling over there right under my nose!" Other grantees arrived nevertheless, most from the Massachusetts towns of Bolton, [[Harvard, Massachusetts|Harvard]], [[Stow, Massachusetts|Stow]], [[Northborough, Massachusetts|Northborough]] and [[Rowley, Massachusetts|Rowley]]. Indeed, the northwestern part of the plantation was once known as Rowley after the inhabitants' former hometown.<ref>[http://history.rays-place.com/me/waterford-me.htm George J. Varney, ''History of Waterford, Maine;'' Boston, Massachusetts 1886]</ref>

On March 2, 1797, Waterford was incorporated, with land annexed from [[Albany, Maine|Albany]] in 1811. The surface of the town is uneven and somewhat mountainous. It was well-suited for [[pasturage]] and [[orchard]]s, and [[agriculture]] became a principal occupation. [[Sawmill]]s were built at streams to manufacture the region's abundant [[timber]] into [[lumber]]. Wood products included [[window sash]]es, [[barrel|barrel staves]], salt boxes and [[bucket]]s. There was also a [[gristmill]], [[carriage]] factory and [[Tanning (leather)|tannery]]. Today, [[Waterford Flat]] is a resort area, and home to [[The Lake House (Waterford, Maine)|The Lake House]], a 1797 inn set among antique buildings listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref>[http://maine.gov/local/oxford/waterford/ Maine.gov -- Waterford, Maine]</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|52.92|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|50.24|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|2.68|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name ="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/gazetteer2010.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 16, 2012}}</ref> Waterford is drained by the Crooked River. It contains a number of small lakes including [[Keoka Lake]], McWain Pond, Bear Pond, as well as [[Mount Tire'm]].

The town is traversed by state routes [[Maine State Route 35|35]], 37 and 118. It is bordered by the towns of [[Norway, Maine|Norway]] to the northeast, [[Albany, Maine|Albany]] and [[Stoneham, Maine|Stoneham]] to the northwest, [[Sweden, Maine|Sweden]] and [[Lovell, Maine|Lovell]] to the southwest, and [[Harrison, Maine|Harrison]] and [[Bridgton, Maine|Bridgton]] to the southeast.

==Demographics==

{{US Census population
|1790= 154
|1800= 535
|1810= 860
|1820= 1035
|1830= 1123
|1840= 1381
|1850= 1448
|1860= 1407
|1870= 1286
|1880= 1161
|1890= 1001
|1900= 917
|1910= 934
|1920= 765
|1930= 743
|1940= 836
|1950= 828
|1960= 834
|1970= 760
|1980= 951
|1990= 1299
|2000= 1455
|2010= 1553
|2020= 1570
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
[[Image:Home of Thomas Hovey Gage, Waterford, ME.jpg|thumb|left|Home of Thomas Hovey Gage {{circa|1915}}, town historian]]

===2010 census===

As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 16, 2012}}</ref> of 2010, there were 1,553 people, 667 households, and 471 families living in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|30.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,084 housing units at an average density of {{convert|21.6|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 97.9% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.1% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.2% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.1% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.7% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.7% of the population.

There were 667 households, of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 29.4% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.68.

The median age in the town was 45.9 years. 20.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.4% were from 25 to 44; 33.7% were from 45 to 64; and 17.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.

===2000 census===

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 1,455 people, 590 households, and 437 families living in the town.  The population density was {{convert|28.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 895 housing units at an average density of {{convert|17.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 98.83% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.27% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.07% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.07% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], and 0.76% from two or more races.

There were 590 households, out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.80.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.0 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $31,458, and the median income for a family was $35,000. Males had a median income of $25,560 versus $22,188 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $16,416.  About 9.5% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 20.0% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

== Site of interest ==
{{Cleanup list|section|date=October 2023}}
* Waterford Historical Society & Museum
* Birch Rock Camp
* Camp Waziyatah, site of the Disney Channel shows ''Bug Juice'' and its follow up ''Bug Juice: My Adventures at Camp''.
* Camp Wigwam for Boys, summer camp of JD Salinger

== Notable people ==
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* [[Charles Farrar Browne]] (a.k.a. Artemus Ward), writer
* [[Mary Moody Emerson]], Transcendentalist
* [[Elbridge Gerry (Maine politician)|Elbridge Gerry]], US congressman
* [[Cyrus Hamlin]], missionary, educator
* [[Charlotte Elizabeth McKay]], Union Army field nurse, editor, anti-suffragist
* [[Sawin Millett]], Maine state representative
* [[Thomas Treadwell Stone]], Unitarian minister, abolitionist

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.waterfordme.org/ Town of Waterford, Maine]
* [http://www.waterford.lib.me.us/ Waterford Library]
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=Qwg1AAAAIAAJ&q=History+of+Maine The History of Waterford: Oxford County, Maine (1879)]
* [http://www.mainegenealogy.net/individual_place_record.asp?place=waterford Maine Genealogy: Waterford, Oxford County, Maine]

{{Oxford County, Maine}}
{{Presumpscot River}}
{{Saco River}}

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[[Category:Towns in Oxford County, Maine]]
[[Category:Towns in Maine]]